


a shot in the dark, a whisper on a flame, but do you think, too, that we're quite the same?

by dhe20



Series: in need of a new muse [1]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Canon Divergence, Catra (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Glimmer Needs a Hug (She-Ra), I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Swearing, and there was only one bed, catra and glimmer are stuck in a cell together, glitra, these two make my brain go brrrr, working title: catra is soft for one (1) glitter bomb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 10:28:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25469308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dhe20/pseuds/dhe20
Summary: Glimmer looked wearily at the fuming cat that stood steady in the center of the room, a smashed chair and shredded pillows scattered the floor that separated them.She shifted awkwardly at the foot of the bed, "You good now?"Catra lifted a stray piece of the chair before hurling it at a wall. She ran shaking fingers through her wiry hair, "I think so.""You should lay down," Glimmer's voice was so small. Catra looked at the bed and then back at the Queen, her usual shine a little lackluster."No, take it, I am NOT sleeping beside you." Her eyes were dim and foggy.--Two tired girls are stuck together. They're both increasingly lonely and so, so touch starved.
Relationships: Catra/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Series: in need of a new muse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1846561
Comments: 6
Kudos: 90





	a shot in the dark, a whisper on a flame, but do you think, too, that we're quite the same?

**Author's Note:**

> Some things Glimmer says in this are pulled from a song I wrote for these two. The title is from that, too.

“Catra-“

“Dude, I said it’s fine.”

Glimmer grumbled at being cut off from her place on the bed. Catra was beside the bed, curled up on the floor. 

“Catra, please.”

Catra huffed and rolled over in exaggeration to face Glimmer. 

“I said it’s fine, Sparkles.”

“I know, but,” Glimmer adjusted her position awkwardly, “Aren’t you cold?” 

Catra rolled her eyes. 

They spent a beat in silence before Catra picked herself up. Glimmer's eyes brightened before she quickly looked back down at her hands. Catra stood at the bed for a moment before Glimmer dragged her eyes back up to meet hers. Catra waved her hands like she was shooing Glimmer. 

“Oh,” Glimmer caught on, moving from one side of the bed to the other. Catra lifted the blankets to climb in, leaning back against the headboard, knees pulled close. She couldn’t understand why this room- or, cell- was the way it is. She supposed it was to keep up the facade of Glimmer being a “guest,” not a prisoner. Well, she also supposes they’re both “guests” now. Catra walked down the wrong hall at the wrong time and pissed off one too many clones, resulting in Prime demanding she needed to stay put for a while. Learn her lesson, or whatever. He was probably doing up another room for her, and whatever freedom she had was lost now. It almost frightened her how much she just didn’t care. 

She insisted on not invading Glimmer’s space, but passed it off as wanting to stay away from Glimmer. Stay away from her enemy, or whatever she was supposed to be now. Glimmer seemed to see right through it, though. Right through her. It didn’t help Catra’s case by laying down right next the bed instead of probably anywhere else in the room, but she wasn’t thinking clearly. She was coming down from some sort of rage high. Glimmer kept insisting she just give it up already and get in the much cozier bed with her, and now Catra was just fed up with her whining. 

Or maybe this is what she really wanted. 

Catra looked over at Glimmer unthinking, and caught Glimmer staring back at her with a soft small. Catra flushed a little before turning her gaze back at the intensely white wall. God, it was too bright in here. It made her uncomfortable. Her stomach felt light, like it was lifting into her chest. She hated it, she felt sick. She felt weak. Last time they had talked, back to back, she had started feeling like this. Light, warm, and aching. She left before it could take over her. But she can’t leave this time. No, she was stuck now. 

She jumped when soft fingers touched her hand, and she quickly pulled all her limbs closer into herself. 

“Sorry! I-I just,” Glimmer shoved her hands through her hair, “What are you thinking about?” 

Catra’s whole body was starting to heat up, she hadn’t realized how deep in thought she’d just been. 

“Look, I know this probably isn’t where you thought you’d be right about now, but-“

Glimmer was cut off by Catra’s chuckle. 

“Oh, I thought I’d be dead in the Fright Zone by now. Then you had to show up.” She snarled. 

Glimmer pulled her hand back and mumbled a ‘sorry.’ She pulled the blankets up from under her and laid down. She stared up blankly at the high white ceiling. 

They sat in silence again. They seemed to be good at this. Catra could feel the slight guilt radiating off of the smaller girl. Her emotions were always so obvious. She could bare to cover them up, sometimes. 

Catra slowly moved to mimic Glimmer’s position. They were both rigid, waiting for the next person’s move. 

“You know I-“

“I just think-“

They both suddenly bursted with at the same time. 

“What?”

“No, go ahead-“

“No, Catra, what were you going to say?”

“I don’t know but it probably would’ve ended with me calling you a bitch.” Catra almost laughed. 

“Typical.” Glimmer turned to face her, “But in you’re defense, I’m a pretty big bitch.” 

Catra grinned, turning her head to face Glimmer, “Oh?”

“I mean, why do you think it was just me that day? You think Adora wouldn’t jump at the opportunity of a good fight with you?” 

Catra’s eyes averted Glimmer’s quickly at the mention of Adora, prompting Glimmer to get to her point. 

Glimmer inched a bit closer, “She didn't want to talk to me. Nobody did, actually. It's probably worse now.”

Catra looked back at her before turning her body to face her. In a weird way, the heavy blanket pulled up over the both of them made it feel like they were safe here. If only for a night. 

Glimmer continued, “I thought that- like maybe-' She huffed, "I felt like I was being pushed around, so I overstepped. I guess I was trying to compensate or something,” Glimmer smiled, but in a way that made it seem like she was laughing at herself, “I was being a bitch.”

Catra just blinked at her. She wasn’t quite sure what she was supposed to say there. Catra was obviously the bigger bitch here, considering everything. She stumbled over her thoughts before blurting out, “I don’t think you’re a bitch.”

Glimmer gave her widened eyes, and Catra quickly ran her thoughts in circles trying to find a way to fix this. 

“I mean, Adora’s just like that. Always takes over somehow. It would drive anyone crazy, so I don’t really blame you.” 

Glimmer only offered a small chuckle before drowning her own thoughts in silence. Catra could tell she was thinking hard about something. 

She jumped again when Glimmer’s hand started to slide across the covers toward Catra. Glimmer halted, her hand freezing between them along with the rest of her. 

“Sorry,” Catra stumbled, “Reflexes.” 

Glimmer looked back up at Catra to find the girl with a forgiving smile. She knew she probably shouldn’t have, but she pushed her hand across the bed again to find Catra’s. She was a little surprised when Catra’s hand moved to meet hers and hold it. Really surprised, actually. 

Catra coughed to clear her throat, “What were you gonna say?”

“Oh!” Glimmer reached back through the conversation to remember what it was she was going to say. 

“I just,” She moved a little closer again, just a little, “It’s not so bad, being stuck here with you. I mean, I probably would’ve killed Bow by now.” She snorted at herself. 

“I would have,” Catra matched her laugh. 

Something calm came over the moment. Catra’s stomach was still flipped, and she was still overheating, but the moment suddenly became way more gentle. 

She hadn’t realized she was rubbing Glimmer’s hand with her thumb until she started doing it back. 

“You know,” Glimmer started, “I never got to get a good look at you while I was kicking your ass,”

Catra gave her a glare.

“But you’re actually really pretty.” 

Catra’s glare softened for a brief moment, a little hope might be found in the back of them, but her gaze was quickly harsh again. 

“What? What do you want from me?” She pulled her hand away to clutch at her chest. 

Glimmer’s eyes widened in shock, “I- What? Nothing! I just thought you should know,” She started to turn away again, “Sorry I said anything.” 

Catra’s instincts were telling her to run, this was a trap, something was wrong. How did she let this happen? When did they get so close to each other? Why, in this stupid fucking universe, was she sharing a bed with the very princess who ruined everything she had? 

The beating of her heart and sweating palms gave her the warning signs of another panic attack, and she was NOT about to do that right now. 

So she shoved past it. It was hard, trying to untangle yourself from your own doubt while it’s still threading through you, but she pushed past it. Past her screaming urges to run, or break something, or at the very least, sulk under the desk or in the corner. Her arm twitched, it wanted to reach back out. 

She stared at Glimmer’s back before allowing herself to indulge in a want for once. 

When she touched Glimmer’s arm, she didn’t jump. She turned back towards her. 

“I-“ Catra looked at her, a bit of her fear making itself known in her voice, “I’m sorry. Reflexes.” 

Glimmer broke into her soft smile, the one Catra could only stare in awe at. She’d never seen anyone so terrifyingly strong be so... warm. 

Glimmer turned, grabbing Catra’s hand in the motion, and found herself back in their previous predicament, though much closer now. 

Glimmer stared at Catra with calm eyes, and Catra could only stand looking at her for a few moments before looking away at something else less intimidating. Glimmer rubbed her thumb in soothing circles into Catra’s fur, letting the moment settle into place. 

“It’s not,” Catra held her breath, “Terrible. To be stuck here with you.”

Glimmer reached out with her other hand to hold Catra’s cheek. Catra moved away from it unthinking before pushing back into the fingertips. Glimmer brushed her thumb once across her cheek before leaving it in place, just to look at her. 

Catra couldn’t meet her eye, but she felt bad not sharing the gesture, so she closed them altogether. The heat from Glimmer’s hand had her head in a bit of a dizzy, and her brain was having a little spaz out from all the competing emotions. Her tail, which wad been loosely swinging behind her, had made it’s way over her legs. She didn’t think to keep it in check until it had brushed against Glimmer’s leg. She immediately pulled it back, angry it would dare do such a thing to defy her. Glimmer snickered a little at the scene in front of her, to which Catra gave her another meaningless glare. 

Catra felt the warmth leave her face and hand, and she felt the chasm in her gut twist and groan at the loss of contact. 

Glimmer had used her hands to push herself forward towards Catra, nudging her face onto her collarbone and slipping an arm over her side to hold onto her back. Catra froze for longer than she would’ve wanted, but she wasn’t in the right frame of mind for this right now. 

Glimmer noticed her hesitation and started to back off, “Sorry,” She laughed awkwardly, “I’m probably reading this wrong-“

“No-“ Catra blurted out before she could stop herself, “I, uh- shit.” She pushed a palm into her eye in hopes off clearing her head. “It’s fine.” She settled on. 

She let her hand find it’s way to Glimmer’s arm so she could look at her. Glimmer’s eyes always had that pretentious sparkle to them, but this time, it made Catra’s breathing hitch. Glimmer smiled before pushing her way back into Catra’s arms. Catra’s own arms slipped around her, not quite holding her in any way, though. 

Glimmer giggled into Catra’s chest, “When we get out of this, I’m keeping you.”

Catra had to muffle her laugh, “You’re keeping me?”

“It worked with Adora.” 

Catra contemplated this for a moment, “I guess I don’t really have much of a choice.” 

“Exactly.” Glimmer nuzzled her cheek into Catra’s fur before settling back into position. It tugged a bit at Catra’s heartstrings. Catra properly wrapped her arms up around Glimmer’s back and pulled her in a little closer, nuzzling into her hair. She pushed down the parts of her screaming at her to run, in favour of savouring the parts of her letting out a deep sigh. Like she had been holding so much tension in herself and this moment, Glimmer’s touch, was letting it all out at once. When Glimmer moved her legs in order to interlock theirs in some way, Catra let her. When the purring started to tempt it’s way out of Catra, she stifled it. But she couldn’t stop the rumbling in her chest. 

“Are you purring?” Glimmer teased. 

“Do you ever shut up?” 

“Huh. You really are just a cat.”

Catra scoffed, “And you’re just a glitter bomb.”

Glimmer pulled back her head, forcing Catra to look her in the eyes, “You don’t mean that.”

Catra smirked, “I think I do.” 

Glimmer’s grin grew stronger as they stared at each other, studying each other. Catra wasn’t sure she’d ever been so close to someone’s face, beside maybe Adora a few times. Her heart started to beat louder and harder. Glimmer wasn’t looking her in the eyes anymore, she’d moved on to dragging her gaze across her fur. Her under eyes and the growing bags, her hollowing cheekbones, the places where Glimmer had assumed were freckles but were actually the spots few and thin whiskers popped out. Her eyes looked over Catra’s ears and they instinctively moved down and against Catra’s hair. Then her eyes moved onto Catra’s lips and Catra could feel Glimmer’s body move with heavier breathing before blinking it away. Catra forced herself still as she watched Glimmer’s eyes rove over her. She let out the breath she was apparently holding when Glimmer met her gaze again. 

“If you don’t mind,” Glimmer was almost silent with her shaking words, looking back at Catra for permission to continue. Catra nodded slightly. “I just want to tell you that you’re really pretty ....again.”

Catra froze. When was the last time someone called her that? Besides Glimmer just a bit ago, it must of been ages. Since she was a kid, and another cadet had made a remark about it before she probably hit him. 

“Uh, thanks.” She forced out of herself. Glimmer beamed with a smile. 

“Oh, cut it out!” Catra rolled her eyes and gave her a little shove, but not one that would push her away. 

Glimmer giggled, holding tighter onto Catra so neither of them could fall back. 

Their laughter died down quickly, muffled by a growing tension in the air. 

Glimmer couldn’t look Catra in the eyes for this one. 

“Do you think,” She felt small under Catra’s hands, padded thumbs rubbing slightly into her sides, “Even after everything we’ve been through,” Catra gave her a quizzical look, “It’d be weird if I kissed you right now?” 

Catra stiffened a bit but didn’t stop the small circles into Glimmer’s clothes. She seemed to throw the question around her mouth, as if she wasn’t sure if she liked the taste of it. 

“I mean,” She started slow, “Probably.” She caught Glimmer’s gaze, “If I was anyone else.” Her face was soft now, they both shared the same expression of some sort of curiosity and nullness. 

Glimmer was the first to lean in, staring at Catra’s lips now. Catra followed, and they both took turns hesitantly moving forward, until the gap was closed. The kiss was short and soft, they were both holding back loads of emotion. Catra quickly pecked the corner of Glimmer’s lips before she could pull away, an attempt at keeping her close like this. Glimmer’s smile found it’s way onto her lips before she dove back in. This one wasn’t much longer, but the feelings slipped through. The desperation from Catra and Glimmer’s forlorn mixed into something that made them both breath a little heavier. When they parted, Catra looked down at Glimmer with big eyes, Glimmer’s goofy smile unmatched. Glimmer shoved her blushing face into neck fur, hiding herself from view. Catra tucked her chin into Glimmer’s hair. Glimmer didn’t deserve to be here. If you see past her bubblegum appearance, it’s obvious that Glimmer is brave, that she’s a fierce leader, she’s a force you shouldn’t reckon with. But when you cut past that, she’s a friend. She’s undeniably loyal, she’s a hand reaching out, she’s a light in a dimming room, and she’s been hurt. Bad.

She didn’t deserve to be here. Many people, Catra wouldn’t give a second thought to letting rot in a cell, but not her. 

This princess was going home. Catra would make sure of it.

**Author's Note:**

> thank u for reading :D


End file.
